American Samoa (B), Australia (NB), Eastern Central Pacific (B) (NB), Fiji (B), French Polynesia (B), Guam (NB), Mexico, Micronesia [Federated States of] (NB), New Caledonia (B), Southwest Pacific (NB), Vanuatu (E) (B), Western Central Pacific (B) (NB).
Subspecies
Forms superspecies with Fiji Petrel (Pseudobulweria macgillivrayi). Mascarene Petrel (Pseudobulweria aterrima) may be better considered a subspecies of Tahiti Petrel (Pseudobulweria rostrata).
Subspecies, trouessarti, has been recorded in Australian waters.
The following 3 subspecies are recognised:
rostrata (Peale, 1848) - Breeds on Society and Marquesas islands.
becki Murphy, 1928 - Breeding sites unknown (New Ireland?); ranges to Bismarck A. and Solomon I. Considered by some authors to be a distinct species, Beck's Petrel (Pseudobulweria becki).
trouessarti (Brasil, L, 1917) - Breeding on New Caledonia.
Similar Species
White-bellied morphs of Herald Petrel (Pterodroma heraldica), which have a pale areaaround bill and throat, white-bellied morphs of Kermadec Petrel (Pterodroma neglecta), which have pale heads and white patches in the underwing primaries, white-bellied morphs of Soft-plumaged Petrel (Pterodroma mollis), which have white around the bill and throat.
Compare Images
The Field Guide to the Birds of Australia Pizzey, G., and Knight, E., 1997, Angus & Robertson, Sydney ISBN 0 207 19691 5
Field Guide to Australian Birds Morecombe, M., 2000, Steve Parish Publishing Pty Ltd. ISBN 1 876282 10 X
Field Guide to the Birds of Australia Simpson, K., and Day, N., 1999, 6th Edition, Viking ISBN 0 670 87918 5
Reader's Digest Complete Book of Australian Birds 1988, 2nd Edition, Reader's Digest ISBN 0 949819 99 9
What Bird is That? 1984, Revised Edition, Angus & Robertson, Sydney ISBN 0 207 14846 5
Handbook of Australian, New Zealand & Antarctic Birds 1990 - , Oxford University Press, Melbourne ISBN 0 19 553244 9
BirdLife International Species Factsheet